up and down the hill

So, I might as well revive this blog and add some workouts.  I'm training a few co-workers for their first half marathons.  One is coming up on November 11th, the San Antonio Rock n' Roll half marathon. The other three are doing the 3M half in Austin in January. I ran the Rock n' Roll half last year as my first, and to date only, half marathon.  I had shot for a 2:30 and finished in 2:22.  Keeping true to tradition, I'd done the first half at 1:07 and the second half at 1:15.  This year, the goal is 2:30 again.  However, I will be just running with my friend.  So, I'm going to take a camera, take pictures, and try to keep her motivated. I probably won't even bring my iPod which is strange for me.  I always have music or podcasts going.  I think I'm actually going to do the 3M with my other three in January too.  However, I'm going to shoot for 2:05.  At the AF marathon, I'd finished the first half in 2:10.  This was after I took my time and ran the first two miles in about 21 minutes.  So, I bet I can do it.  What I am having a bit of a challenge doing is getting the girls trained up while working on my own too.  Especially the three that are still almost three months out. And only about one of the four seems to be as motivated as I am.  It would be nice to have my brother down here but I fear that I'd do to him what the girls are doing to me.  Sure we could run together, but it might hurt him.  I guess we'll see.
Anyway, today called for a 4 mile race pace run.  I'm a little torn at what pace to do this since in January I'm shooting for 9:32 pace but the one I'm running in 3 weeks is only at a 11:27 pace.  I decided to try for a 9:30 pace.  After I finished running down the hill (my neighborhood is perched on a hill that's about a 2% grade for 1.7 miles) and around the neighborhood I was at about a 8:35 pace.  So I walked a bit.  I'm pretty competitive, even it's with myself, and I finished in just over 36 minutes for a touch over four miles.  so, faster than I'd planned.  Tomorrow is a rest day before Saturday's 11 mile long run.  It was beautiful this morning.  Not a cloud in the sky and mid-60s.  Beautiful running weather.  Hopefully Sunday isn't a downpour like last Sunday.